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Wreck in PNG likely to be a Japanese submarine

The uncharted wreck found yesterday, off Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, is likely to be a World War II Japanese submarine.

Underwater vision taken by the Australian Minehunter, HMAS Gascoyne shows the wreck of a submarine, 55 meters below the surface in Simpson Harbour. The wreck is partially buried in the harbour floor but remains upright.

Sonar image of a section of an uncharted wreck found by Defence personnel off the coast of Rabaul , Papua New Guinea during Operation RENDER SAFE 2011.There had been initial media speculation that this may have been the wreck of HMAS AE1 – Australia's first submarine, lost in waters east of Rabaul during World War I in September 1914.

The imagery obtained by HMAS Gascoyne was examined by RAN historical staff, who concluded that the wreck is not AE1 but a Japanese submarine.

The Royal Australian Navy will now work with Japanese authorities to assist in determining the wreck's identity.

HMAS Gascoyne was taking part in Operation RENDER SAFE 2011 – the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) in the Pacific. This year, RENDER SAFE is being conducted in Rabaul over the period 18 October to 4 November.